Why Y: Marshals Must Revive Taylor Sheridan’s Most Overlooked Yellowstone Character md06

Because Y: Marshals is merging the world of cowboys and lawmen, expanding on Kayce Dutton’s (Luke Grimes) history as a Navy SEAL and highlighting the struggle that U.S. Marshals face when they spend time apart from their family, the show has some real potential beyond anything the original Yellowstone could ever muster. Taking down Montana-based criminals will certainly be a draw for this show, as will furthering the story of Kayce and his family, but there’s one character that (in light of the subject matter) ought to be further explored on the upcoming CBS drama: Jake McLaughlin‘s Cade McPherson.

Cade McPherson Needs to Return on ‘Y: Marshals’

Credit: Image via Paramount Network

It’s already been confirmed that Y: Marshals will be introducing Logan Marshall-Green as Pete Calvin, one of Kayce’s buddies from his military days. This is great news because it means that the series won’t ignore that dark period in Kayce’s life the way that Yellowstone did. At the very least, he’ll have someone by his side who knows what he’s been through. But while the inclusion of Pete Calvin is a step in the right direction, Yellowstone‘s Season 5B really set up the Kayce spin-off by introducing Cade McPherson at the eleventh hour. First appearing in one of Yellowstone’s final episodes, “The Apocalypse of Change,” Cade is called on by Kayce to help him during his investigation into Jamie’s (Wes Bentley) involvement in their father’s murder. Appearing only in one more episode (“Counting Coup”) after that, offering Kayce the information he needed to go after Grant Horton (Matt Gerald), the man who actually pulled the trigger.

Unfortunately, Cade suffered the fate of being introduced far too late in the game to become a long-term or well-rounded character on Yellowstone. He was basically a walking plot device that allowed Kayce to get the intel he needed to avenge his father, and so, aside from some brief scenes over the phone, the two never actually spoke in person. But Y: Marshals has the potential to rectify that. Considering Kayce simply calls Cade out of the blue and asks for help (and the former SEAL wastes no time providing it), these two are clearly tight despite seemingly not speaking for some time. That kind of brotherhood is a bond not easily broken, and if shows like SEAL Team or The Terminal List are any indication, that’s the kind of material that makes for thrilling television. While we’ll likely get some of that with the new Pete Calvin character, Y: Marshals should be careful not to sweep Cade McPherson under the rug in the process.

The truth is that we know very little about Cade other than the fact that he and Kayce were on the teams together back in the day. It’s clear from his two short appearances that he still maintains some level of government intelligence, priding himself on his ability to track people down and find information not privy to others. We also know that he’s vigilant when it comes to communication, forcing Kayce to contact him only through unmonitored apps and alternate means. Whatever direction that Y: Marshals goes, Cade is one Yellowstone character who deserves some sort of mention or appearance.

‘Y: Marshals’ Should Expand on Kayce’s Past as a Navy SEAL

Credit: Image via Paramount

Of course, Y: Marshals is the perfect chance to further develop someone like Cade as Kayce unpacks his own time as an operator. Seeing more of Kayce’s time as a SEAL (which is almost guaranteed, as former SEAL Team showrunner Spencer Hudnut will be overseeing the program) will not only give us better insight into his choices on Yellowstone but also add an extra layer of depth to his decision to become a U.S. Marshal. Bringing in characters like Pete Calvin and Cade McPherson would only help establish a greater continuity within the Yellowstone Universe and give Kayce another distinct tie to his past. We know from the Yellowstone Season 2 episode “Touching Your Enemy” that there’s a reason Kayce doesn’t talk much about his time overseas, but that could easily be different if he were speaking to someone else with a similar experience. Someone like Cade or Pete or any of the other new marshals who might have gone through their own fiery trial by combat.

Y: Marshals might be wise to employ the use of flashbacks to Kayce’s time on the teams in order to elaborate on the character’s modern state of mind. The final batch of Yellowstone episodes seemed to push Kayce in a new, more action-packed and investigative direction following John Dutton’s (Kevin Costner) murder, and since Y: Marshals will be airing on CBS rather than Paramount Network or solely on Paramount+ (and without Taylor Sheridan at the helm), many have wondered if the show will contain a more procedural element. One way to break up the standard crime drama format would be through the use of SEAL Team-like sequences and flashbacks, which characters like Cade would be absolutely perfect for (even if he doesn’t always appear in the present). There’s a lot we don’t really know about Kayce’s time in the armed forces, and while that’s not the sole focus of Y: Marshals, the show would do well to expand on those details that Yellowstone often brushed past.

‘Y: Marshals’ Will Take the Yellowstone Universe in a New Direction

No matter if Y: Marshals includes elements of Kayce’s past or characters like Cade McPherson, the Yellowstone sequel is going to be vastly different from the original. No more land-grabbing plots or soapy Dutton family drama, this series looks to be an action-packed, introspective drama that seems to blend what folks love about shows like SEAL Team or Longmire with the neo-Western setting and characters from Yellowstone. There’s a lot to be excited about now that the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch is out of the picture, and however Kayce and his family manage the next distinct phase of the former cowboy’s life, it’s bound to be a thrilling ride that fans of the original horse opera will grip tightly. As we wait for a plethora of other Yellowstone-related projects to come to fruition, Y: Marshals stands apart as its own unique brand of justice that will bring the cowboy back to network television like never before. We can’t wait.